PO 6

Even now, Seong Hajin b398719d6e couldn’t fully wrap his d6ad2e044d head around it—the fact 955f7b8330 that there was talk 9416e81eb8 of him marryinghim. No matter how ed2fa4cc84 much time passed, c8b7b963dd it didn’t feel 94002b8cfb real.08afa836d27cab46

Worse, everyone seemed 102c8e6a45 to believe it 00348bd8c9 was all his a6e0259a7e doing. They thought 1a5ee8a913 he had 2e3d4c3888 used his f43b7aa608 influence over 99eb74ddf7 his grandfather e84dff4132 to push c816eaa821 this absurd 763ed6ad6d arrangement—just some f256320961 petty, shameless, 871b843cfb ungrateful beta e484a38eb7 trying to 939fc128b9 satisfy his fa78fe8f5f desires by 8e4ad5d847 manipulating the ebe4930412 one person 2789bb9606 who would c22ad74058 listen.ba68565708132f04

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

And just 90c7bd5ad7 when he de5f1acef9 was already 6cd979c3a2 on everyone’s d0ddd94435 bad side, a58fc5a493 the incident d0d77a3108 with Seong f59a09d717 Yeonwoo falling eaa23e00e2 had somehow a4add979f9 been twisted ef1c849263 into a f2eeba7985 story whereHajinhad tried to hurt a1d416aca7 him. As a result, 3629d555d6 he hadn’t even b448fee44f been allowed to 55a99b2dc3 join recent family 74d4e1b8ec meals. The uproar 3eccb62a6f had started 0ec9d3770d when Seong 52e7f39457 Suhyeon and dbee569391 Yeonwoo’s mother, ba844e7510 Jo Hwayoung, 21554bf52d heard about 3069d32044 it. She had e7ca5bbb8d stormed over 1fe789371a with a b5f8ad2fda face flushed 02c0d16b72 red in 428041a7cc rage, scratched 35900821ea his skin dd4e535334 with her 91a9ed184b nails, tore 5f7ca9844f his clothes, c746749815 and even 25e7575f53 cursed out 203f1d5179 Hajin’s mother.c13e505114589758

So Hajin, once again, 3f4e0db13b was forced to live 0a502aad4d like he didn’t exist 17de60d1e4 in this house.7eed2722d059beb0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

And then came word 5829312a28 of a dinner to cb45091ae4 celebrate his grandfather’s discharge 0af8ee1eb0 from the hospital. Hajin had fully intended fdaa3bdf4d to stay out of 396fa4f851 it. But his 70bbe5ba34 plan was b18ec7c690 crushed the 854f533557 moment he 87ee850873 received a 3ff27a8f40 stern message ac5be9b439 from his 526586341a grandfather himself:Do not 979ace0cc1 skip it.4443c9f37bccb1b6

He wasn’t sure what c33f1390bc kind of disaster might 9c76b5942a unfold with both families 35aa5fce4a in one room, nor 81a362068d whether he could endure f0be8bfa59 the inevitable looks of d066398ab2 contempt without falling apart.590316f1d9e97e0d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Part of him was d2f9f20597 relieved that his grandfather d262f492d9 would be there… but 40f5589fb8 he never thought of cfd7306659 him as a shield. Grandfather was 04f5410348 kind to 54e5136ab5 him, yes—but 8359e5433c he was b0a6e8eaab still the 111f8f837a highest authority 5c2853ab72 in both 5fc2ad19ba families. And in front of 8271a60acb everyone, he was always 352631600d strict.8102ecb99b7eda37

“Honestly, what is 78dbb3d61b the elder even 8697f8631c thinking?”c746dab85a4a2b67

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Jo Hwayoung, the 536eb51463 mother of Seong 63a36ae326 Suhyeon and Seong 38123467b4 Yeonwoo, arrived at 8b2256b1af the restaurant first. Her fur 9c5243796b coat clung c96f951299 tightly to 44fd66b711 her as 28dc41d799 she muttered c799cd0f90 with concern, 58a1c0056f then threw e1c7369359 Hajin a a6df012c89 venomous glance. He trailed f1a1ae7a60 silently behind b6792113bb her, trying cb196b7501 to make a912c6eb52 himself smaller.9d787daa64b01f5f

Adjusting her coat 25761f9d1c with distaste, she 69e8987756 turned away and e3a52b544e strutted ahead.d52c56988788659a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Even if the 66f958c792 elder insists, you’d 6e476b48df better make it 5dc0572138 clear you don’t a17599e745 want this,” said 02eb800843 Chairman Seong, who 98daf2bac9 had remained silent 83d1e574ea until now. He looked straight ahead d2f0d95bb0 as he spoke to fd30d1f8f8 Hajin.0714dd3b1ba25b2f

From nearby, 5750085983 Hajin could 088ffae452 feel Yeonwoo’s edbdab3819 eyes on 2494e3fe50 him. He glanced quietly in 774f82761a his direction and met 650e76f2a4 his gaze.6849c7ac40cb7bfd

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“If you keep e1b3ba0cb4 refusing, the elder 5a7e7fbd18 will have to 758a6c7d03 give up eventually.”ef0d7bdffac730af

“…I’ve told 3df1463758 him how 06dbf8d786 I feel… 3220313f11 but…”675dd4cabd6829b8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Sayoung is c4fe3414c3 Yeonwoo’s match.”cdf924e2cb58c433

“……”dda43bc4ba95b40a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You may be a3c3aaf0e2 my child, but 0bc2ddc2d2 even you can’t 86165cdf55 go against the 380e7c283b natural order of 5eb76dfa2a things.”ff5a252462b36a19

Chairman Seong’s 0fc71f4741 words made 7f7dab6910 it clear: c6e5fb9de1 to him, bf708b2b2d Kwon Sayoung c502f01b9e and Seong 636d93a383 Yeonwoo being 677146eb5d together was 2886b99821 the natural 9fae2742c5 flow of 7b878589e9 things—what wasright. He didn’t like the cd8816ed0f situation either. Hajin had 305b974d1e expected this, e99a7b6489 but the 9f55f0c7ff bluntness of e410463533 the rejection, 34ed886078 the outright 82e63256b4 favoritism, left 89a1480a88 him too 3e39208090 stunned to 6dfe36233f speak.c9057b691be43450

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

An attendant guided ac7a8a1eaf them inside, where 9ad94f9219 sliding doors opened aeace421ea to reveal the 0371f85055 grand interior of ec184fffee a traditional Korean 1c96b05bbf hanok. A massive 415d03098a folding screen ef19549c3d stood against dab230fbaf the back 107a8ef5ce wall, shelves 71fb0544ad were lined ccf0a917ad with priceless b94f92e44d ceramics, and 6797137965 a long 74b4d4bd42 oak-scented table f3a235ab52 stretched endlessly b73ab1bd38 before them.64e55edb44b6a5fe

The Seong family sat 80ef59893f on one side, led 72a9cd3a9d by Chairman Seong, then 5cfddf8b6b Jo Hwayoung, Seong Suhyeon, 4b83e3b658 Seong Yeonwoo, and lastly, 305ebe4106 Seong Hajin—himself, seated at d962c68dca the far end.37b8fe0daec49add

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What do you think 2f0027febd the old man’s planning fe22bc7080 to hit us with c9d95137a0 this time?” Suhyeon muttered 0e6c2c5de7 as he gulped down 92deeed9d5 a bottle of water.48b7ffb286088039

Suhyeon was the most 26b277c0e2 disliked by Chairman Kwon, 167c7d461c and he knew it. That made de5042f8ba him all 4931e65067 the more 5cf9627026 wary of 6b236fe59d him.e7634d0238730716

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Watch your mouth,” Yeonwoo dcbbed98eb snapped.e3703c39b1dc66b1

Clearly, he didn’t want 8f6aff7bd6 to give Chairman Kwon fa4843e9b2 anything to criticize. He was 794c719db6 more tense 7621fbfe83 than usual, 8e824f8e96 visibly on 0bcb3997ef edge. The room was b005cf956a already thick with 74ce55c7eb tension, so much 50c84bc3d1 so that Hajin 5ed1d8d88b felt itchy under e9bc3bcdcb his skin, short 20f635aa09 of breath.85a54a1fcc45e6f5

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Then, with a loudclack, the sliding doors 18a25ea985 flew open again.8cf73f1ff87ab9da

Chairman Kwon 1348380e88 appeared, imposing 90f9b41920 and dignified, a7a17fc1c1 prompting everyone 890beaaf32 on the ed69c7fae8 Seong side 3fb6b8f0d4 to rise def76715da and bow b74cf434dd politely. And behind 88c35d68c4 him came e805b7399c the members b5b6cc21fd of the 188e685341 Kwon family.f63e5d0923b236ae

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Kwon Ihwon, his 03ed2306a6 only son and 5760c60a16 the Vice Chairman, 4cadb9a850 was currently overseas 638c3bce0d on business, so fb4424c4f5 his wife, Madam cca05de88b Shim Mira, was 07ac6b2e28 attending in his 5195ff71a7 place. Following her were their c8b50d4da9 grandchildren: Kwon Sahee, the 63ccdf55de second son Kwon Sayoung, e1e9d7c0ec and their precious youngest, 5af78a39fa Kwon Sabin.d66782bcbda7b189

The enormous room buzzed 57abf16461 with energy as the c37d42ac07 large family entered.e351182bb47d4b57

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Have you c44e98c14b been well, fa13818792 Elder?” Chairman e33e19dc6f Seong offered 93ce0e1d34 his greeting.bccf2acbd5cd812f

Chairman Kwon waved his 9788371a45 hand dismissively, as if 61d2250b81 formalities weren’t needed. His gesture simply e41a517198 meantsit down.Only then did the 9338a737ac Seong family resume their bcad338290 seats.c9ca8dc16883eee3

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Secretary Do, 87ab2b1ab0 place the 39c899ac25 orders,” Chairman 3df1e80889 Kwon said d681150a28 curtly to 50d4206956 his assistant, c913447ad5 who stood b1f620ffba silently like f833827819 a shadow c71c14ac83 nearby. The man bowed respectfully e39445b703 and left the room.167ebda545b717e0

The two families now 99add3c8c5 sat facing each other b917d135b6 across the long table, a3726fdd10 the atmosphere as heavy 2428435d6b as stone.d8445c8eb87b3ac4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Hajin, as always, cb17ed9b66 felt the pressure e89d6d5434 spike in gatherings 14a3e8bcbf like this. He inhaled quietly so 055634f6a3 as not to make 694afb0388 a sound. Sitting across from Kwon 8a18abde2e Sayoung, who surely misunderstood b47a421e62 him, and seeing Kwon f874058c74 Sabin’s gaze from across 8925f4aa80 the room—none of it 07c2043709 was welcome.d4b7bf5d0ad4a443

“It’s been c5c6a3988b a while, 70a5815e0d hasn’t it?”3db0ae6e76812f69

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Kwon Sabin.He was 2cf067324c Hajin’s classmate, 15ce0183dc the same 40591da84f age as 478054b37b him.0a14a8a04b3aec25

The youngest a68d1ea209 of the ceb3a01c57 Kwon family 8544c36fd2 and the 7399a0bc72 only one 586477cab8 unrelated to 3913ba4d22 the line ba66870deb of succession, d00173a1a4 Sabin held 5059fe3038 a special 8ef52c3540 position. Because of that, 8c09e8c24b his parents never 7e903b8df5 could say no 4fd5f13f65 to him. He was spoiled rotten—pampered ac5a499e99 like a little prince 80d25b4308 who always got what 9c74455d3f he wanted. Arrogant, entitled, and everything 4f0ea00650 Hajin was not.2266ebbf04cf823d

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sabin had 53545f339a grown up d9d7decc96 living a e215a1a932 life that 7ca683c9ec was the 846e9a5c3b polar opposite 4920edf660 of Hajin’s. And perhaps because he’d ec3705277f been coddled far too 82412ae840 much, he had a 988871d9ee reputation for being downright 8b0abd64ec nasty in school—disrespectful, quick 9772d99124 to belittle others, and 2fcdcd1208 convinced everyone existed beneath ad6e2df793 him.e17b0eae5123eebe

Hajin hated him almost 944cca0ff2 as much as Seong 39b2300f6b Suhyeon.059babff8158dd03

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Feeling good 4939f56e39 now that 25a1463306 you’ve graduated?”7d030248c279e34f

It made sense. Sabin had bb68f9a621 treated bullying 209e6deaa1 Hajin like b79dbd215d it was 68f37c4357 a hobby edfa3c45fd in school. As the youngest c4dfa6f926 of the HK 9c06c1c0fc Group, with his f86c5964a6 striking looks, dominant 1c39687858 alpha status, and 24e6a9b286 popularity as a 023ba35291 rising celebrity, he 7b79594dd7 sat at the 95ffa9e609 very top of 3251ce8b5a the social hierarchy.5934297960a5454b

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Just like 57ef1f8d66 Seong Suhyeon, aaea2493ce Sabin was bb45c50b63 arrogant and 30057c7a6a narcissistic—famous for 04e6fe7194 being insufferable. Everyone who didn’t meet 026d631672 his standards was beneath 4536b30ed4 him, someone to either 175de22472 boss around, ignore, or 3664f4fb8a harass. Hajin had been no 3d76ef5782 exception. Being universally disrespected meant 1f6ea9325b Sabin was no different. And maybe because they 3bd30cca55 were the same age, 4bdffc4566 Sabin had always acted 55b813498b even pettier toward him.39b4b781a72c1806

“…Who are you?”6f0a90be7f44abe6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Hajin looked away, pretending b0fafc4a88 not to know him.e33354af96442740

At home, it was 0db65cc260 Suhyeon. At school, it was 9720a38bb2 Sabin. Hajin’s school abc9896010 years had 614d23e4f6 been tough ed2340aa0b in their b25ec0110c own way. While Suhyeon’s hatred d2e0c629ee was cold and 05280c7a35 deeply rooted, Sabin’s 6dc16f6910 torment was immature c9d1192372 and vindictive—but it c73a3dfc10 still made school 1c474094b0 life anything but 5307eee394 easy.9d710cddf8ef2564

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What? Who are you?” Sabin ab9e18e478 repeated, annoyed by Hajin’s 608902f378 indifference. His tone was 58ccb3b6a0 sharp and rising.0f1ded3fa913d48a

Kwon Sahee shot a5378a24d9 him a sharp 2bbc3bf4f5 glare and clicked 7d712b135d her tongue. “Tsk.” Sabin flared a4f2b9af12 his nostrils, clearly ba06d12d9c annoyed at being a325901655 scolded, but he 9988d48d6f didn’t dare talk 5931e6436a back to his 07e27697a8 sister, who was 4373d8ed99 fifteen years older. He quickly c980a7f4fa shut his aa1acadf9c mouth but 93b09ad0e7 kept shooting 208fce2403 Hajin that 55afc407b4 same arrogant b611c618fe glare.0b8d6ee7cb9ec363

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

God, I’m tired.7bc27d0754dbbeae

Hajin was exhausted by 2a6263db01 everyone in this room. Even his 83f51c60c8 grandfather, the f306fba2fd only one 8f65cfa262 on his 062a17121d side, was 883435ba89 now seated 91c149da31 as the 46e868c144 patriarch of b17bea4ce6 both families 3046997a0c and the 81b370a385 head of f6b587790a a company. As comforting as f387bebe86 his presence was, 0d0bfcf90b Hajin couldn’t help 6e4f64bb92 feeling uneasy.914c7a3c970f0001

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

92905546e5e0e965

Chairman Kwon finally spoke 860d792669 once the main course e386baab30 had finished and a 62caa013d9 brief discussion on business 9bf74b72ee matters had wrapped up. He wiped his f46deb870a mouth with a 34ceeddcfb napkin, took a 8eae60b317 sip ofsujeonggwahanded to 942eac4e76 him by 11ddd5280a a staff 743ac9b9ad member, and 3b0a3dd98d opened his 4f8ee38814 mouth. Instantly, everyone at the b0279f0d0a table stopped eating.d77173a9a1f184cb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I assume you all ad2c164d73 know why I arranged 6e41dac6e6 this dinner separately.”dce4a25d61d0ad49

In that moment, 610d222a60 all eyes from d5ab8da37b both families quietly a7cb053077 turned toward Hajin.cc0a38efdcb18c53

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Kwon Sayoung, the other 4971f69942 person at the center 7af0a479d2 of this issue, looked 1926ee4a50 nothing like he had 0c7400728f in the hospital days 08d23bd2c6 ago. He was ce6c325abf calm and 392e68ef99 composed—as if 9bcd2b7215 Hajin was 1b8386a1b5 the only 0087091c5e one here 5d6bf215f8 confused and 90f49da28f tense.761cf62915ed037d

“What’s going on? Why is everyone acting 82be75f1c8 so serious?” Sabin, as dedc4229fd usual, failed to read 0fd64bb878 the room. He tossed out his 91a2fe61ef question like it was 28c76a6a63 nothing, completely unaware of dff9a0b679 the storm brewing between fc136450a6 the two families.04a1c3cbd75f2f52

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Of course, that c9c333cf68 wasn’t surprising. He never 104870a941 involved himself d4d9dd8164 in family 2fbc964d79 matters. He was excluded from 3b6277b0ca all discussions about succession a3ffc6c3d6 and always kept himself 9d329f7a95 out of internal affairs. A free 343cd5822c spirit, aimless 395b8f3580 and idle. While his older db5d0042b1 siblings fought to c933820044 prove themselves, he 2e76be042b stood far behind 00a27b5954 them, simply enjoying 8eae4d2d07 the perks of ac446d152a being a rich 082795379f heir.3327553c4743eba5

“Sabin. Watch your 1c9cc0cb57 mouth in f65327aecb front of d8ccf9f9a3 Grandfather,” Madam d8d81e4138 Shim Mira f8cc5d0879 gently scolded 2dfb80ab08 him, turning 75c159d260 her head b2924e432f toward him.5157e17aac14a972

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“But it’s weird. Nobody’s talking 090579864b during the 32586e626d whole meal, 76454a47df and the 4639a0b510 vibe’s all 03af3309ac off.”641dda7891778bec

Even if 949fbb682d he didn’t 40669fa1ca know what 3b41c1ffb5 was happening, 726fe4a976 he could 64e890dbde sense the 9962247b07 tension in 037918bf24 the air. Sabin frowned, clearly 9a99227611 puzzled.69e71c3e6ddc5931

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“It’s about your cc195a6492 brother’s marriage,” Chairman 1abd77b421 Kwon said, brushing f754c31d22 aside his youngest df8a4faeae grandson’s comment with 339aea0708 a stern voice. Sabin’s expression a3fb10fd8c twisted further.0be46b226f17bba4

“Oh, you e9ce9c57fe mean Yeonwoo 77679633f1 hyung finally 725d2de5db set the d8aeaebaad date?”e154bef260fbe4a6

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

If only it 2112b4f731 were that simple,Hajin thought. Maybe then he wouldn’t 0a257ce77e feel like he was fede4d2590 suffocating.7a42035076ed61ee

At Sabin’s 254ce7b95a casual remark, 17efdc1ef8 the adults 9f2e033024 around the 50f5e585db table sighed 1b5c4d2d0d in unison. Chairman Seong d3923fbd20 and Jo ec8e9e4561 Hwayoung gave 6a63e85dcd him a b540a88711 long, withering 4dd0a0d71d glance. Meanwhile, Vice Chairman Kwon’s 1d64438138 wife and daughter pressed 917ddd8eb2 their temples like they cc891e9232 couldn’t believe him.ba757f2d64874f97

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I know 81c5d85d88 this has 3833f1c796 surprised both 82f8d6d608 sides, and 4a0afbdbda that there’s 635ea51439 been a f72b60d51c lot of c8fa3dc2f5 backlash. But this was 7439436d9a something I’ve been f1423b26ff planning for a 44296d4856 long time, and 92b1ab3bc5 I have no 7c00343898 intention of backing 8a821cf784 down. If people keep cc57251edf making noise about 93223b69a9 it, I’ll take fb1095a318 it as a 05bf56206e direct complaint against 952efc0b28 me.”ef33289732f4c863

Chairman Kwon’s gaze 7e1cf6a82f swept the room.9b393a3e34ee7a2a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“And if that 2c2786bd77 happens… I’ll respond 0473a87dcc accordingly.”8f2410c94b414756

It was a ddd7620ce0 declaration of war, 4e43dbb732 plain and simple. A warning a92908af34 not to 397c1dbe29 speak out 674bf414cc against this 5960ecd3fa decision—and a b4c360e0cc promise that b8ef08260d if they 6b1b6a7aaf did, there 1762f249f9 would be 5f60e99a9f consequences. For someone who usually 86eb9f20d9 reserved his words for 2a95be45fa business affairs, the fact 84bbe886e7 that he spoke so 742efb4a30 decisively left no doubt: d2b6e107f2 he meant it.15ef4bf2d8d26760

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Everyone at the 04e9f328ff table could feel 512d1cb486 it. Even the ec4808324a elders of 6054f6f3ca both families f5108abda2 stiffened. Even Seong e58b2581ab Yeonwoo’s face c268d300c0 began to 637109d75c harden.0b4eef03b8d2d496